UPSC SOCIOLOGY MAINS
Paper 2 – Social Movements in Modern India
Chapter 5 – Environmental Movements
- They are in pursuit of the conservation of environment of for the improvement of the state of the environment
- Environmental movements favour the sustainable management of natural resources.
- Environmental movements in India have emerged in 1970s as critics of state sponsored forms of development.
- These movements have resisted increasing the modification and monopolization of natural resources like land, water, forests,etc.
- Right of indigenous people to preserve their culture, protection of environment and maintenance of ecological balance are significant functions of these movements.
ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA
- Genesis of environmental movements in India is traced back to the Chipko Movement (1973).
- Struggles in India were around issues of rights to forest and water which raised larger ecological concerns like rights of community in forest resources, sustainability of large-scale environmental projects like dams and issues of displacement and rehabilitation.
- Post independent India resorted to conventional environmentalism by protecting national parks and sanctuaries while pushing people out of these areas. In response to conventional environmentalism, environmental Movement in India advocated the ideology of ‘environmentalism of the poor’.
POPULAR ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS
Chipko Movement (1973)
- Focused on environmental problems of the Alaknanda catchment area in the mid Western Himalayas.
- Sundarlal Bahuguna, Gaura Devi, Dhoom Singh Negi, etc led the movement.
- The women hugged the trees to prevent the officials from destroying the trees.
- They demanded that the benefits of forest like the right to fodder should go to local people.
- It was also a fight for basic subsistence.
Appiko Chalewali Movement (1983)
- It took place in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka in the Western ghats.
- The locals embraced the trees which were to be cut by contractors.
- It used techniques to raise awareness such as foot marches in the interior forest, folk dances, street plays, etc.
- The movement also focused on the rational use of ecosystems by introducing alternative energy resources to reduce pressure on the forest.
Silent Valley Movement (1978)
- Silent valley is an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad district of Kerala.
- Movement the state government for its decision to build a dam across kunthipuzha river.
- The project was not eologically viable and the project was called off.
- The valley was declared as Silent Valley National Park.
Narmada Bachao Andolan (1985)A
- Against Narmada River Valley Project.
- Movement centered around issue of human rights.
- Main leaders like Medha Patkar, Baba Amte.
- Mass displacement for construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam.
- Improper rehabilitation fuelled the issue.
- Later Supreme Court approves construction of dam.
- The movement was successful in questioning the paradigm of development.
Tehri Dam Movement (1990s)
- Tehri dam was proposed in Bhagirathi river in Garhwal district of Uttarakhand.
- Main issues were the seismic sensitivity of the region and submergence of forest areas.
- Movement failed to gather enough support.
Jungle Bachao Movement (1982)
- By the tribal community of Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.
- Agitated against the forest policy of the government.
- They protested the government decision to replace natural Sal forests with Teak.
- The movement was called by many environmentalists as ‘Greed Game Political Populism’.
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENTS
- Jharkhand Bastar Belt Movement
- Zahrili Gas Morcha in Bhopal.
- Anti Balco Project Movement in Odisha.
- Save Western Ghats Movement.
- Clean Baroda Movement.
- Rahmeria Movement in Assam.
Environmental movements are all-encompassing – the entire village and urban communities, peasants, middle classes and nature. The issues included protection of people’s right to natural resources, prevention of land degradation, preventing commercialisation of natural resources, rehabilitation of dispaced communities, fighting environmental pollution and maintenance of ecological balance.